poem of the day 04.20.11

ready for war

in the hallway
taking the garbage out
i hear a neighbor’s television
their sound system
some asshole from the fifth or sixth floor
raining down his clamorous terror
on all of us
and i’m suddenly thankful
that i’m not the neighbor
above or below him
for great christ
i’ve had my share of battles
with these people
from dogs barking
to boomboxes at midnight
and while you might
look at your neighbors
with a sense of comfort and home
to me they are
franco
pol pot
pinochet
hussein
dubya bush
bin laden
and all of those other bastards
combined
and when i see one of these cretins
in the hallway
going to work
or just coming home
when i look into their eyes
it is not to say hello
how are you
or to find a common ground
but to stare them down
and let them know
that i am ready for war
wherever
whenever
motherfucker.